Possessed

Just curious how you guys like to start with a Possessed Warband. I was just crunching a few numbers on the roster builder:

http://riptapparel.com/shirt/03/22/2011/hypno-toad

...And if you get your full compliment of starting heroes, each mutant and each posessed with a decent mutation (say 2 with black blood and 2 with an extra arm), you can barely afford a couple of brethren to round out your numbers. Not to mention the trouble of arming 4 or 5 warriors with only 10 gold.

So how do you play it?

The nastiest tactic I've seen is starting with 1 magister, one DECKED out possessed, and 1 mutant or beastman. The first few games, YOU WILL LOSE... but if you're too badly outnumbered, the low rating gives you instant underdog. Once you have more money, buy a decked out possessed or mutant, and then buy a full set of 5 heroes. Worries about henchmen AFTER you're good.

Or, if that's not your style, just have 1 simple mutation on each hero. Sure, you don't have a killer 8 mutation possessed, but he can still take out a vampire (and you have TWO of them).

Either way, I've seen at least 1 magister who entered his first game holding only his free dagger. Equipment can come later, and most of the Possessed stuff is common anyway, so it's not like you need to stockpile rare weapons.

1 magister (Club)
Possessed with black blood
Mutant with extra arm (2 Clubs)
Mutatnt with tentacles (sword)
1 Beastman (2 clubs)
3 Brethren (2 as archers, 1 with club)

Works for me!

I tend to get a magister, a decked out possessed (seriously, spend about 200g on it), two mutants with fear, and any remaining money goes into getting beastmen. Early on, Possessed are killing machines!

I must say that I never actually played possessed but I'd suggest also that you start not with two possessed but rather one and try to get as much mutations on him as you can and like. Because once he's created you can't have more mutations on him but heroes and henchmen and equipment you can always buy later...

(And don't forget to start with the most expansive mutation first as it's the only mutation that you don't have to pay the double price for )

I started with a Magister, Possessed with Spines, 2 Mutants with some cheap fluffy mutations (Extra Arms on one, Tail on the other I think), then 2 Beastmen and 2 Brethren.
Worked out alright for me. I made my 2nd Possessed my super killy one. Just think it's hard to start with less heroes than 4, even if one is super killy, just takes a bow or crossbow to crit him and ruin his (and your) day.

The Builds I have seen usually go, 1 Magister, 1 Possessed and 2 mutants all with Scorpian tails, then they try to max-out their beastmen, then go for Brethern because they can take bows. They also usually put off bow buying beause they can buy them more cheaply once the game starts.

I wonder, why scorpion tails are that popular. I'd say that great claw would be much stronger in the long term for the S5 of the scorpion tail - which does not always work anyway- will soon be surpassed by great claw as soon as the model gets mighty blow which gives the great claw then S6. (I wonder if scorpion tail would be affected by strongman anyway as it's rather the poison than the strength which does the wounding...)

Whereas the scorpion tail sticks to S5 forever, great claw can get up to S8 or something...

well, of course it would be best to have both

A player in our round starts normally with 1 magister, 2 posessed (great claw) and 2 beastmen and one hired sword.

The Mutants are to fragil for him, so he waitet one or two games for enough money to get them (mostly with spear and a tail).

The Tail is good on mutants with S3, because they start with a very hard extra-Attack early in the game.
A Mutant has S3, with Advance S4. With Mighty Blow it goes to S5. That way you get with 2 Advances a S6 attack at the cost of one hand (no 2h-Weapon or second hand weapon). Without advance but with tail you get direktly a S5 attack.

scorpion tails are cheaper is the only reason I have heard. 10 gold doesn't seem like that much really. But on 3 models that is 30 gold.

Starting Modell:
Mutant (without mutations)
2x S3 (Clubs)
or
1x S5 (2-HW)

Mutant (Scorpion tail)
2x S3
1x S5
or
2x S5 (one of them strikes last)

Mutant (great Claw)
1x S3
1x S4

With +S, +A, +Mighty Blow
Mutant (without mutations)
3x S5 (Clubs)
or
2x S7 (2-HW)

Mutant (Scorpion tail)
3x S5
1x S5
or
1x S5
2x S7 (2-HW)
or
1xS5
2xS6 (halberd)

Mutant (great Claw)
2x S5
1x S6


i would take the Tail!

The Possessed is an interesting Warband. In my opinion, one of the most strategic Warbands to make. Building a strong Possessed Band could take a long time. Meaning, if you’re group plays a relatively small set number of games in a campaign, this could be difficult. My group plays an unending campaign. We have warbands that are years old. My strategy for building Possessed comes from that. My Magister is a basic start. Just a dagger for a game or two. He’ll never see combat until much latter anyway. After the first game or 2, I’ll get him a bow and shoot after that. My Possessed (only one for startup) has no mutations. He’s vicious enough starting. If and/or when he dies latter, I’ll have saved up gold to buy mutations on the next one. I tend to splurge on my mutant. He gets 2 new arms (sword, mace, free dagger, and fist. Or 2 handed sword, sword, and free dagger.) Being mutants start with no XP, they advance quickly. Then another mutant, usually with just a scorpion tail. The rest is spent on Brethren with basic weapons as fodder while I build up my heroes list. Of course, it all depends on the Dice Gods during the games for how long it’ll take to build up. But I usually have more fun with Possessed than most other Bands, because of the strategic band building. Plan out your band and prepare to lose a bunch of games until the skills and Heroes get built. I always save some gold after each game for the next Mutant or Possessed to get.

For mutations I tend to not use Black blood or Spines. Black blood (to me) is saying please wound me so I can hope to get you back for it. I’m hoping to take out the enemy or he misses me first. Spines, seems to be negated quick by Armor, Toughness, or Resilient Skill. I’d rather spend the gold on offensive mutations.

Yeah...Possessed seems like the one warband that likes to avoid the "always start with all heroes" maxim. I've seen lists that begin with every hero, but they seem pretty underpowered in terms of mutations. And mutations are half the fun!

Scorpion tails are good for mutants because in addition to being cheaper they also do *not* use up a hand.

The other advantage, I guess, is that if you are making a super-killy Posessed then getting two claws and then a scorpion tail is a lot cheaper than getting two claws and then a third claw.

I think I would house rule that mutants get an extra attack with a great claw. I uunderstand that the wording is exactly the same as getting an extra attack from an off-hand weapon, but it's nonsensical to pay 50 gold for +1 strength on a single attack.

Why? My take is that if you don't like this particular mutation, you should pick another rather than house ruling it.

While we're at it, I'd also like mutants and magisters to visit the Shadow Lord more often, but my experience is that most Possessed players are too chicken to do it

I think they mostly don't do it because A) your magister is irreplaceable, and b) your mutants are either i) crappy ones to be phased out as soon as you have the money for better or ii) a really good expensive one that you cannot afford to lose.

We had a house-rule that if a mutant got a deamon weapon then the Magister could claim it. This encouraged people to send their mutants a bit more often.

That's not very chaotic, is it? Especially when your magister is not really irreplaceable given the rules revisions.

Quote :

“f the leader of a Sisters of Sigmar, Possessed or Carnival of Chaos warband dies then their successor will be entitled to learn to use magic in their stead. The new leader may choose a prayer/spell from the appropriate list, instead of rolling on the Advance table, the first time they are eligible for an advance. After this they are considered to be a wizard/use prayers as appropriate for their warband and use the advance table as normal.

Imagine the possibilities with a spell-casting possessed (you chickens)!

it is not that bad, because he can't get intellect skills.

I have a posessed with spells as enemy. He is hard, but most spells are hard to cast and without sorcery most spells are going to fail.

10-7-8-9-7-7? I'll take those odds.

Any hero can get Academic skills with the Alchemist's Notebook.